Judith Collins’ ‘really ugly’ attacks echo Muldoon’s tactics

I can’t help but see Mrs Collins as channelling (imitating?) the abusive, nasty personal attack style that Robert Muldoon used against his political opponents.

In the House, Muldoon became friends with other new National MPs, notably Duncan MacIntyre and John Bowie (Peter) Gordon. The three became known as ‘the Young Turks’ because of their criticism of senior National ministers. Muldoon in particular proved to be a well-prepared debater, willing to speak on a range of topics with authority and humour. He developed a deserved reputation as a counterpuncher who saw attack as the best means of defence, and who believed that he should always retaliate if anyone attacked him.

… Many people disliked Robert Muldoon’s abrasive personality and populist appeal. From 1967 opponents referred to him with contempt as ‘Piggy’ Muldoon. But others, who became loosely known as ‘Rob’s Mob’, admired the direct and combative politician, who certainly polarised public opinion but claimed to understand and represent ‘the ordinary bloke’ against the elites. Their loyalty was as much to Muldoon personally as to the National Party.

I’m guessing Mrs Collins would see any comparison to Muldoon as flattering — not focusing so much on the damage his divisive approach and cronyism did to the National Party, and to New Zealand’s reputation.

As prime minister, Muldoon frequently visited foreign countries and attended international meetings. He was not always tactful, particularly at Commonwealth prime ministers’ meetings where he resented criticism of New Zealand by leaders whose own countries were not model democracies. As in domestic politics, he was prone to attack the messenger as well as the message and his targets included Commonwealth Secretary General Shridath Ramphal, Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser and US President Jimmy Carter, whom Muldoon dismissed as merely a peanut farmer from Georgia.

So, one question remains to draw a line under this sorry dispute: does she regret accusing the National ministers of racism?
Uh-uh. “I have absolutely no regrets for naming that elitism and that sexism and that racism,” she retorted. “I have no regrets for calling them out.
“I don’t care what they look like. I don’t care what they wear. I just really wish they were genuinely compassionate for the people who need them.”

Morgan actually wrote a really good piece on his blog explaining why the comments were racist.

Not long ago Morgan referred to me as “white priviledge” after a misunderstanding regarding another person’s tweet regarding race. I laughed at that comment and thought to myself “if only he knew, i am about as unpriviledged as really unpriviledged thing”…but he was right really.

Unless you have experienced discrimination or been affected by race related issues, it is easy to not recognise or ignore subtle racism.

When on an interview last week i was asked what my views were regarding working with people of a different sexual orientation and with gender related issues. I am not all that familiar with that area. To me sexual orientation is not something that matters to me. It isn’t an issue that would make me think differently of someone either way. No big deal to me.

But that view is coming from a heterosexual perspective where i have never been discriminated against because of my sexual orientation. For someone who is gay/lesbian/ transgender etc those issues matter a lot and to hear someone say they don’t is probably harmful – even if that is not the intention.

That is similar to the race issue that we have going on here. People who have never been discriminated against don’t recognise it and refuse to even try to see it. I would have expected people like Anne Tolley and Judith Collins to be a bit more culturally aware.

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